Twisted Rope

Author's Note

Spoiler-free!

Thank you for picking up this story. I hope you enjoy it.

The Title

The title, of course, comes from episode 2 of Crash Landing On You, when Jeong-hyeok comforts Seri:

I found that it is taken from a Japanese proverb:

"Fortune and misfortune are like the twisted strands of a rope."

禍福はあざなえる縄の如し

[かふくはあざなえるなわのごとし, kafuku wa azanaeru nawa no gotoshi]

I hope the Japanese here is correct (please someone tell me if it isn't!).

For me, it's the perfect title, as the story does twist and turn, bringing both fortune and misfortune. Like the original series, Jeong-hyeok and Seri must face those challenges together, supporting and protecting each other. No spoilers on what those twists might be!

The meaning of the proverb, I think, is that we should recognise that life will bring us difficulties as well as joy and that we should learn to accept both. We all have to face difficult times and acceptance, or coming to terms with those experiences, usually takes time. Having love and support from our loved ones usually helps too. For Jeong-hyeok and Seri, this too is true.

Perhaps it's a message that Hyun Bin took to heart too. In his interview for GQ Korea in 2021, when asked how he overcomes difficult situations, Hyun Bin said, "I think to myself, This, too, shall pass."

About The Story

The story fast forwards from where The Gift ended. The Prologue is 8 years on and the main story moves on another 8 years after that. So overall the main story starts more than 20 years after Seri crash landed in North Korea.

Can you enjoy it if you haven't read The Gift?

I believe so. There are some continuing story threads, but I hopefully explain them enough so it won't be a barrier. If you're a bit stuck, feel free to message me!

I've enjoyed developing Seri and Jeong-hyeok's story, thinking through what their life together might be after several years of marriage and parenthood. Reaching their 50s is also a life stage that can seem sad and threatening, a loss of youth. What would this be like for them?

Writing at this point has also given me the opportunity to explore the characters of Ka-youn and Yeji. What have those babies grown up to be like? What will the future hold for them? What do they have in common with their parents and how do they differ from each other?

The Prologue provides the opportunity to show something of their happy family life before the story moves on and starts properly. It also starts to introduce the themes for the rest of the story. So it has become a bridge between the end of The Gift and the rest of Twisted Rope. I don't know why, but the Prologue was one of the last things I wrote for The Gift and it's the same for Twisted Rope!

There are some difficult, emotional moments in the story where you will worry about the characters and what will happen to them - just like in Crash Landing On You. I hope I'm true to the spirit of the original series and characters in my story though. And I promise it isn't all doom and gloom!

Updates and Chapters

When I published The Gift, I updated very regularly - at least once a week. I propose to do the same with Twisted Rope. The total length is longer than The Gift, but there are slightly fewer chapters - 31 in total.

The word cloud below is a 'mood board' for the novel, so perhaps gives a few hints of what's coming!

Messages and Comments

I really enjoyed reading the comments on The Gift, and if you want to message me, I'll be delighted to respond. You'll also find me on Twitter.

Thank-yous!

I found sharing The Gift with you all a really positive experience and it encouraged me to write more and try to improve. So thank you all very much.

Thanks also to my daughter for her wise observations and comments on my drafts. I find her opinion invaluable.

So here we go - enjoy!

Ellie x
January 2022